Alex Smith commanded the offense

Sunday’s game saw a new signal-caller under center for Washington, and his name is Alex Smith. The 14-year veteran showed calm and poise as he led the Redskins to 429 yards of total offense and controlled the ball for an outstanding time of 38 minutes.

One of the interesting tidbits of the game is how fluid the play-calling was for Washington. Smith & Co. went for a balanced attack that caught Arizona’s defense slacking. For example, during the second quarter, Washington went on a scoring spree of 21 unanswered points to give them a commanding 21-0 lead at halftime. During that quarter, Smith had completed 13 straight passes and was flawless in the red zone, tossing two touchdowns, something Washington particularly struggled with last season.

Smith also led a potent passing attack, which got them 247 yards on Sunday. Smith completed the ball to seven different receivers throughout the game, and maybe his most important target was Jordan Reed. Reed grabbed four catches for 48 yards and a touchdown and somewhat grew a small relationship with Smith.

Throughout his career, Smith has always favored tight ends, from the likes of Vernon Davis in San Francisco and Travis Kelce in Kansas City. And with the way he was connecting with Reed, Smith may have found his most dependable target in Washington.

Even with the success through the air, Washington’s receiving corps didn’t eat that much on Sunday. The trio of Jamison Crowder, Paul Richardson Jr. and Josh Doctson all combined to get eight receptions for 65 yards.

With their dominance on the ground, Washington didn’t get the chance to control through the air, but it can change soon.